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A bill that would require massage therapy students to clock more training hours before receiving their license has been pushed in front of Gov. Rick Snyder for approval.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dan Lauwers, R-Brockway Township, was recently approved by the Michigan House and Senate.

The bill would require massage therapy students to clock 625 hours of training instead of 500 hours to become licensed. The bill also eliminates the requirement for students to have a high school diploma in order to be eligible for a license.

The current state law requires 500 hours of course work and clinical massage education, according to a press release from Lauwers. The Coalition of National Massage Therapy Organizations recommends the minimum be set at 500 hours. Around the country, most states require 500 hours of instruction. Nebraska requires 1,000 hours.

“A lot of industry leaders realized we need more than 500 hours, but there was never a study before now that told us what that exact number should be,” said Nancy Levitt, Lakewood School of Massage Therapy in Port Huron director. “There’s a lot of training involved. There’s a kinesiology component, a pathology component. There’s more to it that people realize.”

Levitt requires even more than 625 hours at her school, but is happy to see a push for a state mandated increase.

Levitt said more training leads to better massage therapists.

“It gives students access to a higher quality of education,” she said. “That is what we are really working on — making sure the quality of education is improved.”

In addition to creating a high quality of education, Levitt wants massage therapy opportunities to be open for all.

The bill would allow the schools, not the state, to determine what prior academic credentials are needed as well.

“Passing a massage therapy program is way more indicative of if the student will be a good massage therapy practitioner than if they hold a high school diploma,” Levitt said. “That diploma piece has caused a lot of trouble for people in the past.”

Levitt, however, said her school requires students to have a high school diploma.

Eighteen states require a high school diploma.

Levitt joined Lauwers in the push to see the bill through. She joined him during testimony when the bill was being considered by the House Committee. Levitt said she’s happy to see a local representative of the Blue Water Area take an interest in the massage therapy profession.

Now the massage community will wait to see what happens after the governor reviews the bill for consideration.